Federal Foam Technologies Inc. has added computer numerically controlled routing to its thermoforming capabilities.
The New Richmond, Wis., company acquired the assets of Advanced Components Technology of Northwood, Iowa, earlier this year and has been upgrading the ACT facility, said Federal Foam international sales manager Todd Kidder in a phone interview.
“This expands our repertoire,” Kidder noted. ACT's CNC technology allows Federal Foam to more efficiently and precisely trim parts such as vehicle cab components, he explained.
Federal Foam had been using water-jet cutting to trim parts at its New Richmond thermoforming operation. The plant pressure-forms glass-fiber-reinforced polypropylene and processes fiberglass-reinforced thermoset polyester there to make large components. CNC routing and plant upgrades will help ensure Class A finishes on its products, according to Kidder. The router also strengthens Federal Foam's work with other hard plastic sheets, such as ABS and thermoplastic polyolefin.
Federal Foam bought ACT from Worthington Industries Inc., a diverse industrial products manufacturer based in Columbus, Ohio.
Federal Foam also bolstered its thermoforming business with the recent hiring of Bryan Lindquist, a 25-year veteran of plastic sheet and thermoforming industries, for the post of new business coordinator. His previous employer was Spartech Corp., which was bought by PolyOne Corp. in early 2013.